The Manvel Gazette

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Front Page (above the fold)

Two young girls out in the rainy cold. One says to the other "We're going to find a family today. I can feel it." And boy did God deliver!! It was kind of an offhand comment I made but it happened!! We visited an address we found in our area book, Gustavo taught long ago. Well we got to the house and Gustavo doesn't live there anymore.. but his family does!! His mom wants her grandchildren to know God. Especially in the crazy world. So we taught them!! Pray for Ines and her familia that their hearts will be open:)

International Relations:

Our friend Carmen wants to be baptized!!!! Miracle!! The only thing is she actually lives in Mexico. So while we're sad we won't get to see it come to fruition, the Hermanas down there will get to see a miracle! 

Wildlife:

Let me tell you about Max. He's my best friend. He's the big dog I mentioned a couple weeks ago. We went to visit Max's family but once again.. they weren't home. So we decided to knock on their neighbors doors and find SOMEONE ready to let God prevail. While doing so we found this evil dog that I affectionately named Monkey because he looked exactlyyyyy (I kid you not) like one of the flying monkeys from the Wizard of Oz. And precious Max came over and walked behind us, between us and Monkey, to protect us. He would walk with us to a house, sit at the drive while we went up to the door, and then walk with us to the next house. Heroic I say!! 

Obituaries:

(okay more like just goodbyes)

The Peña familia is moving back to Mexico😪 so we had an awesome goodbye party to send them off!! Tacos, music, laughing, this hot chocolate stuff that I forgot what it's called, the whole deal! And Hermano Peña let me touch his guitar🤩

Testimony:

The Book of Mormon is so true!! And because I know it's true I know Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. I know God loves us and this week I realized that He answers the prayers we don't even say. He knows our hearts and loves us so much! 

💗,

Hermana Eastman

p.s. Hna Thornbrue gave me a haircut:)

A Series of Unfortunate & Fortunate Events

Okay I'm going to just tell a little story:) I hope everyone has had a week full of MIRACLES!! Lately miracles have just fascinated me. So that's what I'll share.

We met the Canela family this Friday! Miracle!! They had a precious massive dog that became my instant best friend because I can't NOT pet him.. what if his family doesn't pet him? Anyway.. miracle family. Set up for the next day. Next day they tell us the mom isn't there so we can't come in. Ugh. Reset for the next day, they were still excited for us to come back. Next day: 2 drunk dudes tell us the family isn't home. Ugh!!! I was so sad!! I had studied for that family, prayed for them, got so excited y todo. As we drove away I just felt stepped on. Or like I had slipped in mud. And I was so sad. So we decided to visit a member who has been inactive for 20 years probably. The only reason we know she's a member is she stopped the missionaries to say hello a few years back. We visit her and talk with her about eternal families. About temples. And she started to remember the feelings she had 20 years ago when she learned this for the first time. She looked at us and said "really? Is that really what I need to do to be with my husband forever?" And after we said the closing prayer, she looked up and said "I just remembered something. As I was driving home today, I felt like I was missing something. I felt like I wasn't getting what I need in the church I go to now. And I asked God if I need to change my church. And here you are." Well, let me tell you, my jaw dropped to the FLOOR & the tears welled up in my eyes. I was praying for a miracle. And our amazing God answered my prayer and this sweet lady's prayer all at the same time. Like.. WHAT?!?!?! AMAZING!! 

God is real.

Love you!! 

Oh ps.. life update: I got a new comp today, Hna Thornbrue!! She is so pretty and cool and she said she'll cut my hair🤩 woohoo! So get ready to hear about the best last transfer of my mission🤪

Hermana Eastman

Choose Your Own Adventure

Guess what?!?!?! I had a miracle FILLED week. It was such an answer to prayers. I really got to see the hand of the Lord this week. He reminded me that this is His work & that He is actively involved in it. So I couldn't pick which miracle I want to share so I figured you could just pick for yourselves!! Agency!!

If you want to hear about our "post 3 knock" find, go to #4

If you want to hear about our stoplight miracle, go to #1

If you want to hear about our long lost member, go to #3

If you want to hear about my Ukrainian friend, go to #2

If you want to hear about miracles in Sketchville, go to #5

#1 Okay so I play this game where I hold up a Book of Mormon as we drive and try to see how many people I can get to look. At a stoplight this week, the guy next to us looked! We rolled down our window and started a brief convo. But then the light turned green and the truck behind us honked so we went on our way. But then he caught up to us and shouted through his window, "so are you going to tell me about your book?" I said "of courseeeeee" so we pulled over and taught Mr. DEZ!!

#2 There's this lady who comes to church every week. She doesn't speak spanish. She doesn't speak English. She speaks Russian. She's from Ukraine. I don't even know her name. But she's my friend. I sit next to her and help her find the hymns in the English songbook so she can kind of sing along. What an amazing faithful lady, who just comes to take the sacrament even when she doesn't know what anyone is saying. I love her. 

#3 We set up a lesson with a member we had never seen before. We confirmed and everything. But when we got there, she wasn't home... ugh. BUT you know who was home? Her daughter who is also a member but hasn't been in years. And our visit was to her a reminder that God knows her and loves her and wants her to stay close. What an amazing thing!!!

#4 We found José after we knocked on a members door 3 times with no answer. And as we were standing there writing a note he answered because he wondered what we were doing lol. And turns out he's been taught before and wants to be taught again!!!!!! Wooohooooo!!

#5 Sunnyside is the sketchy part of our area. But on exchanges this week I went up there and met some people that the English sisters are teaching. And we found a long lost soul and the next day 4 people came to church!!! The real miracle was that I felt totally safe singing "called to serve" to myself as I walked down the street. 

All in all, this work is the Lord's work. I studied lots about faith this week and if you haven't read Hebrews 11, I'd recommend it. By faith, miracles happen. 

Much love🤟

Hermana Eastman

Choose God

Hey everyone!!! If you're still sticking around with this, go you. Happy to have you here. 

This week my goal has been to choose God more often. Specifically to listen to promptings and go through with them. So I'll share two of those experiences.

Leivi

This is someone I taught in Alvin! But she told us her life was a little too crazy for us back in December. So we hadn't seen her since. Well, I went on an exchange back in Alvin this week!! (So fun to be with Hna Jo again) and after one of our lessons fell through I had the feeling to go visit her. But.. she lives in my literal least favorite trailer park. I always feel so anxious there. But I remembered my goal and I thought to myself "I'll do it for Jesus." So we went. And she was home! And after we talked to her we found out something really hard had happened to her and her family. Our hearts were broken for her and we got to have a sweet moment talking about the Savior. So even though her wild dog definitely peed on my shoe, it was worth it to follow that prompting.

Ana Maria

Back up here in Manvel, as we were driving to a lesson. We passed by the house of someone we were teaching, someone we hadn't had contact with. I hadn't even met her. But Hna Jensen kind of in passing said "thats where Ana Maria lives." And I felt something in my chest that said "go visit her." I kind of thought to myself "that's weird, huh" (hard headed I know) and then Hna Jensen suggested maybe we just go stop by. I agreed. Well we knocked 3 times. Nothing. No lights on either. And then as we were walking away, a truck pulls up. And Ana Maria gets out. And we got to talk to her!! She actually started to go back to her other church so it's not a bit obvious miracle, but we did get to give her a Book of Mormon. And I know the Spirit was there. 

Feeling like I got to be a little answer to someone's prayer literally fills me up with happiness. I love it. And so that's what I'm going to try to do. I encourage you to try to do the same:)

Hna Eastman

ps we found some chicken feet inside our church building this week.... fun little surprise!